King Richard II

King Richard II Summary | Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk and Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, come before King Richard II to accuse each other of treason. The two men throw accusations and then their gauntlets at each other, challenging the other to a physical combat. Each man takes up the other's gauntlet, i.e. accepts the challenge, in order to prove his innocence of the charges brought against him, and to protect his honor.

Richard asks to hear Bolingbroke's accusations against Mowbray. Bolingbroke claims that Mowbray received 8000 pieces of gold from the king that he kept for himself. Bolingbroke also claims Mowbray killed the Duke of Gloucester, Richard's uncle and Gaunt's brother, whom he was supposed to be guarding. Mowbray answers Bolingbroke's accusations by claiming that he paid the army with the money given to him by the king, as he was supposed to, and kept the rest for himself because the king owed that money to him. Mowbray goes on to say that he did not kill Gloucester, but did fail in his duty of guarding him. He also admits to having schemed, in the past, to kill Gaunt, but is sorry for it.

King Richard does not want the men to fight and asks that they forgive each other. He asks John of Gaunt, Bolingbroke's father, to get his son to forget his accusation against Mowbray. Gaunt does so, but Bolingbroke will not listen. Neither will Mowbray. Both men feel that to give up the challenge would be to forfeit their honor. Richard yields to their demands, and orders the duel set for Saint Lambert's day.